Thread by @FCDOREDGCSD

NOT MOPING, BUT MOOPING (short thread)

Farewell Migrating Out Of Poverty: 10 yrs of exceptional research.

🐣joining @DFID_RED_GCSD in 2014 I became DFID #SeniorResponsibleOwner (SRO) for MOOP & learnt loads about rsrch, partnership, policy uptake.

some reflections...

1.A CONTINUUM: NOT BINARY

Quant+qual rsrch in Asia/Africa/MENA showed
- dynamic continuum between licit & illicit migration;
- agency & exploitation within a single migrant journey;

Debunked simplistic policies that see migrants as <either> wholly innocent <or> wholly bad.

2.MIGRATION INDUSTRY

MOOP drilled deep into migration industries, focusing on specific routes, understanding very complex relations between migrants & brokers, intermediaries & smugglers who facilitate journeys.

Trust, faith, risk, care, deceit. On repeat.

3.COUNTER, FACTUAL

MOOP longitudinal comparative rsrch shines light on effects of migration on sending households, selection effects, & remittances.

Beyond 'Crisis' headlines, MOOP helps understand this massive <poverty reduction machine>, especially internal & regional mig.

4.MIGRATION & RELATIONSHIPS, HOUSEHOLDS

Longitudinal rsrch complemented by MOOP's ethnographic work on evolving shifting gender relations & household shapes...

Spoilers - some empowering, some heartbreaking...

Also MOOP insights on gender equity in research - lessons noted!

5.REGIONAL RESEARCH POWERS

MOOP has great partners in key regions- e.g. Singapore, Ghana, Bangladesh- with orgs & individuals strongly engaged in policy advice, longterm influence, & policy goals-e.g S'pore day off for domestic workers; mobiles for B'desh women in Saudi Arabia

6.REGIONAL POLICY PUNCH

I was lucky enough to visit the team at @CMS_UG_LEGON in Accra. Hugely impressed by integrated research, training of govt officials, & support for migration policy development across West Africa.

👏Hats off to Mariama Awumbila, @Prof_Teye & team.

7. SCIENCE & ART#1

MOOP conferences in Singapore, London opened my eyes to research, activism, & art combining to maximise impact.

Photo essays, paintings, videos....

Favourite at Singapore conf:

Philippine migrant <Wrecking Ball> parody:
bit.ly/2todr58

8. SCIENCE & ART#2

...which helped lead to MOOP diversifying research outputs to include some brilliant comics about the reality of migration routes, brokers,


..stay tuned for MOOP at @RGS_IBG migration comic-con 2020 with @lhammondsoas

JOURNEY'S END

My MOOP thread could have gone on til 2020; highlights highly subjective.

Thanks to all in MOOP for great work, inspiration, & for educating me. Being SRO can be dry, but this section of MOOP's final report was #MoistEyeMoment.

keep in touch!

peter,gcsd

ps not policy!